Rocking-chair



(No Model) A. H. ORDWAY.

ROCKING CHAIR.

Patented Nov. 3, 1885.

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NITED STAT-ES ATENT, Erica.

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BIIIJIFZCATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 329,479, dated November 3, Application filed .run 1, 1ss5. Serial No. 168,398. on) model.)

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, ALBERT H. ORDWAY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Melrose, in the county of Middlesex andState of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rocking-Chairs; and I do hereby declare that the same are fully described in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to improvements in rocking-chairs, and it is carried out as follows, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, where- Figure 1 represents a side elevation, and Fig. 2 represents a front elevation, of the improved chair. Fig. 3 represents a longitudinal section on the line A B, shown in Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 represents a cross-section on the line C D, shown in Fig. 1.

Similar letters refer to similar parts wherever they occur on the different parts of the drawings.

The object of this myinvention is to so con struct the bent-wood frame that it shall be as strong as possible without showing any unsightly joints in front of the chair, for which purpose I make each side piece in one single piece, starting from the top of the back, then coming downward and bent forward to form the arm-rest, after which it is bent backward and upward and secured in its rear upper end to the back of the frame, thus avoiding any joints whatever on the front, as will be further shown and described.

My invention also relates to an improvement in the base of the chair, which I make in the form of a truss composed of a pair of curved pieces of bent wood united together in their lower ends, in combination with vertical braces or connections of other suitable construction uniting the curved portions of the bent wood a suitable distance apart, by which a very light frame for the base of the chair is obtained with the greatest amount of strength to resist a downward as well as lateral pressure.

In the drawings, E E represent the sides of the chair-frame, each such side being made from one single piece of bent wood, starting from the top as the portion 6, that is bent forward to form the arm-rest e, and continues downward as the lower curve, 6, terminating as the upwardly-projecting back piece, 6 the upper end of which is secured at e in a suitable manner, preferably by means of screws a a to the rear side of the portion 6 at or near. the junction with the arm-rest e, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3,,by which arrangement I obtain the following advantages: no unsightly joint on the front of the frame, and a firm Support for the back without dependingmainly on the resistance of the fastening-screws; no liability for the joint to separate when leaning back in the chair. On the contrary, the joint is made to hold more firmly in proportion to such back-pressure, and in manufacturing the frame the front portion of it can be finished by maehinery without any need of hand-labor for molding or finishing the edges, as is the case where the frame is jointed in front. To further strengthen the joint 6, I secure to the inside of the parts 6 e the rib or slat b, that may, if so desired, be continued downward and forward sufficiently to form the frame I) for the seat; but this is not essential, as the seatsupport may be made in other suitable man ner, it being only desirable that the strengthening-rib I) shall be secured to the inside of the parts 6 and 0 so as to lap over thejoint at e, and thus make a rigid connection at this place. The side pieces, E E, are firmly secured together at a proper distance apart by means of stays or braces d (711, in the usual manner.

The base of the chair consists of a pair of truss-frames, one on each side of the seat, and united together at a proper distance apart by means of suitable stays or braces. Each such truss-frame is composed of the curved outer bent-wood piece, 0, and the curved inner bentwood piece, 0, united together at or near their downwardly-projecting ends 0 c by means of screws, rivets, or othersuitable fastening devices. The middle portions of the outer and inner bent-wood pieces 00 are firmly united together by means of one or more connections, c 0 as shown, which are preferably made in the form of vertical dowels or pins; but this is not essential, as a brace of wood or metal of other form may be used to connect the bent-wood pieces 0 0 without departing from the essence of my invention. By this construction of the curved wood piecesc c, united at or near their lower ends and providedmidway with one or more connections, I produce a very light truss-frame of great strength, not liable to bend downward or expand-laterally when the pressure of the chair, and its occupant is brought to bear on it. v r

f, f, f, and f are suitable stays or braces uniting the aforesaidtrussframes together at a proper distance apart in the usual manner. The chair-seat is hung and made to rock on pivot-points g g, secured to the respective trussbraces,ras usual.

The resistance-springs shown in Fig. 3 are constructed and made to operate in a manneras shown and described in my patent of July 10,1883, No. 281,124, and form no part of my present invention, which may be applied to rocking-chairs of any construction, as well as to stationary chairs, if sodesired, withoutdeparting from the essence of my invention.

I wish to state that I do not claim herein any feature claimed in my application for Letters Patent for rocking-chairs filed June 11, 1885, Serial No. 168,309; but

What I wish to secure by Letters Patent and claim is- 1 As an improvement in bent-wood chairframes, the side piece, E, having its back portion, 6, and arm-rest e made in a continuous piece with the return-bend e, terminating as the back piece, 6 secured at its upper end to the rear of piece e, as and for thepurpose set forth. 2. In a chair-frame, the continuously-bent side piece, E, having its rear end, e, jointed to purpose set forth.

, and provided about midway with one or more stays or connections, 0 cflas and for the. 4

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my si gnature in presence of two Witnesses.

' ALBERT H. ORDWAY.

Witnesses:

ALBAN ANDREN, CHARLES H. FOGG. 

